Meeting Minutes
State Advisory Council
on Libraries
September 19, 1997
Minutes
Present: Devra Dragos, Sally Wise, Laura
Cundiff, Sylvia Person, Stan Gardner, Michael LaCroix, Ken Oyer, Phyllis
Brunken, Sandra Riley, Richard Voeltz, Sharon Wiegert Susan Baird, Jeanne
Saathoff and Donna Peterson.
Staff Present: Rod Wagner, Nancy Busch
and Richard Miller.
Welcome and
Introductions
The meeting was called to order by Chair
Jeanne Saathoff at 10:00 a.m. Introductions were given around the table.
Ken Oyer moved and Phyllis Brunken seconded the motion that the agenda
be approved. Motion was approved by acclamation.
Phyllis Brunken moved and Richard Voeltz
seconded the motion that the minutes of the June 13, 1997 meeting be approved.
Motion was approved by acclamation.
Announcements: State Advisory Council members
were invited to take a tour of Gere Branch Library. Jeanne Saathoff noted
that appreciation goes to Sally Snyder for her work and organization of
the State Advisory Council meetings.
Reports
Library Services and Technology
Act
Rod Wagner reported on the Library Services
and Technology Act. Both the House and Senate are finalizing their versions
of appropriation bills for LSTA funding for the coming fiscal year. Nebraska
may receive a slight increase in funding. The two main features of LSTA
are:
1) technology: funding to help provide
electronic access to information, provide assistance to libraries to acquire
computer technology to access information, and cooperative arrangements
among libraries to use electronic information; and 2) outreach that addresses
the needs of groups that are identified as needing some special attention.
The Federal Government has enacted a "Government Performance Review Act"
that requires Federal Agencies to submit strategic plans describing how
they will measure and identify the outcomes of their programs. States are
not obligated to supply evaluation information until end of the duration
of the five year plan. The Institute of Museums and Libraries' representatives
need annual information on the impact and results of the funding as they
go to Congress and request funding for the next fiscal year. Questions
they ask are: What difference did the funding make and how did it help
people? The emphasis is on a state's ability to provide information about
the results of the funding that is received.
Universal Service Fund Telecommunications
Discounts
Rod Wagner reported on the Universal Service
Fund Telecommunications Discounts. The funds should be available by January
1998. Preceding the availability of those funds is the requirement for
schools and libraries to prepare and submit applications. The latest estimate
is that the application procedures and forums will be available in November.
Consideration is being given to preparing a consortia type application,
in which the Library Commission would submit an application on behalf of
the state's libraries instead of each library submitting a separate
application.
The Library Commission, Department of Education and the Educational Service
Units have collaborated to maintain a web site for information regarding
the discounts.
The Federal Communications Commission is
inviting comments regarding the approach of giving the funds on a first
come, first served basis. Comments should be submitted by September 25,
1997. It is unknown whether the funding set aside will be enough to cover
all applications.
Jim Lukech, State Department of Education,
is setting up training for the state on the Universal Service Fund. Bill
Miller at the State Division of Communications is checking with the Governor's
office to see if the Governor would issue an executive order to designate
the Department of Education as the agency to receive and handle the school
plans and the Library Commission to handle the public library plans.
Legislature's Interim Study re Public
Libraries
Rod Wagner reported on the Legislature's
Interim Study regarding public libraries. One action of the legislature
was to adopt a resolution to conduct an interim study that will focus on
public library governance and plans of the recent legislative enactments
concerning property taxes and budgets. The Legislature's General Affairs
Committee will conduct the study as they have over the last several years
concerning public library legislation that has been introduced.. This will
give the Library Commission an opportunity to compile information and
recommendations
to present through the General Affairs Committee. A hearing will probably
be held in November. The Council needs to identify representatives from
different size libraries to be part of that hearing. Each representative
will report on his/her community: local budgets, their part in that process,
what constraints there are if any and how it is affecting their library
services.
Township Libraries should have a representative
for them. Some township libraries in the Northeast have not made arrangements
for funding after July 1, 1998. There are approximately 24 township Libraries
in the state. Until recently the Township Libraries had their own levy
authority. With a statutory change a year ago, Township Libraries now have
to go to the county for funding along with other county entities such as
rural fire districts.
The legislative bill that Senator Crosby
introduced is still alive. A decision needs to be made if we are going
to go back into the 1998 legislature and renew that request and take it
before the appropriations' committee. NLA had a key role in working with
Senator Crosby to get this bill introduced. What other states are doing
to fund projects for electronic access could be shared with the appropriations'
committee and the entire Legislature.
Stan Gardner noted two important areas
to examine: 1) increasing levy limits; and 2) defining public libraries
as educational institutions to allow for them to use the services of
Educational
Service Units for Internet access rather than using a commercial outlet.
Phyllis Brunken noted the need for evaluating
legislation to: provide additional money for training; and for connectivity
to school resources.
The meeting recessed at 12:00 p.m. for
lunch
The meeting reconvened at 1:15
p.m.
Libraries for the 21st
Century -- Long Range Plan
Council Roles re Implementation and
Assessment:
The State Advisory Council needs to address
its role in working with the Library Commission and Nebraska Libraries
in implementing the Long Range Plan and in addressing the goals and objectives
of the Plan. Ideas are needed from the Council on how to approach assessment
of the needs and the outcomes in the use of LSCA, LSTA and state
funding.
Input and Discussion from Library Systems
Board Retreat
At the Regional Library Systems' Retreat
in August the Long Range Plan (LRP)was the focus of discussion. A way needs
to be found for the systems to become major partners in the implementation
and assessment of the Long Range Plan. The LRP lists suggested partners
need to be working with and other organizations in developing assessments
and evaluations
Phyllis Brunken stated that Educational
Service Units should be involved in Goals 2 and 4 and sub goal 5C of the
Long Range plan.
A web page has been set up for the Long
Range Plan, with the intent that the plan would be a developing
document.
Scenarios for Future State and Federal
Aid for Library Services
In a recent meeting, the Governor expressed
his view that there is enough state aid already appropriated for libraries.
The Governor believes that the Commission should be talking with the State
Department of Education, because public libraries and schools should be
sharing facilities and working together.
A meeting has been arranged for next week
with Lt. Governor Kim Robak on how she might be able to help. The Library
Commission contributed submitted three pages to the Governor's office for
the Success 2000 document on how libraries relate to the each of the
initiative.
When talking about providing and improving
services to children and youth, clear delineation is needed between public
library and school library service to children and youth. The opinion by
those who make decisions is that schools and public libraries do the same
thing. The Nebraska Department of Education does not even have a media
consultant. The Department of Education does not represent school libraries.
Help for school libraries come through consultants in the Educational Service
Units.
People ask "Why are a school library and
public library both needed" In the City of Lincoln there are 10 locations
of City libraries and 50 school libraries. The City of Lincoln has children
who can't walk to many of those, because they do not live within walking
distance. School libraries do not work with children under 5 years old
or children that are disabled who live at home. Public School libraries
do not work with the 5,000 parochial schools, home schoolers or adults.
Public Libraries work with this clientele. If the roles of school libraries
and public libraries were clearly defined, it would help in the funding
of public libraries.
As federal funds and state funds are used,
what difference do they make to any one child or adult in Nebraska communities?
How do these funds benefit these people?
Council Roundtable (member
reports)
Devra Dagros: Beatrice State Developmental
Center has approval for an automated library system. I am working on a
project for the Health and Human Services Agency to organize libraries
and their scattered collections. Others involved in the project are Tom
Schmitz, Lincoln Regional Center; Burns Davis, Nebraska Library Commission;
Susan Koklhof, Norfolk Regional Center.
Sharon Wiegert, Papillion Public Library:
LaVista has started the ground work on their new library with Metro. I
have been working with the Department of Commerce on a grant project called
"The Ideas". The grant is for foster families and families of adopted children
with special needs to be able to access the Internet web pages concerning
the needs of these types of families. Computers have been placed at various
locations in Omaha. A press conference will be held October 7, 1:30 p.m.,
at Sump Memorial Library in Papillion with Lt. Governor Kim Robak attending.
The next State Advisory Council meeting will be held in Papillion on December
5th.
Laura Cundiff: Clay Center Public Library
had a very successful summer reading program; 45 children attended. The
library received a matching grant from the Republican Valley Library System
to make kits for child care providers. The kits include: audio tapes, puppets,
video tapes and books for different age groups.
Sylvia Person, Holdrege Middle School:
The job of Media Specialist is totally different now than it was ten years
ago. The duties now are 90% technology.
Stan Gardner: Wayne State College has had
a slight increase in its material budget. The first two weeks of September
2,500 students were provided with e-mail training. The government documents
position at Conn Library is still open. The library automation system is
being upgraded. The Northeast Library System and Conn Library are working
together to investigate the possibility of developing a lease-purchase
option for audio books and best sellers. UNO and Conn Library are working
jointly to set up a media specialist certification program. Local newspapers
from 80 different communities in northeast Nebraska are received at the
library.
Michael LaCroix, Reinert/Alumni Memorial
Library, Creighton: The Library has added four computer workstations to
the reference area, for a total of 16 computer workstations. A
reference/documents
position is open at the library. Creighton University has its third largest
enrollment ever. The Law School Library is presently being renovated to
double its size. The renovation should be completed in late December, 1997.
Michael LaCroix expressed his fratitude to Jo Budler for the Commission's
work on statewide databases.
Ken Oyer, Bergan Mercy Medical Center Library:
The library has added three new computers with Windows 95 installed. The
Consumer Health Library is open three days a week. The new Ralston Library
will be located across the street from City Hall.
Phyllis Brunken, Educational Service Unit
#7, Columbus: The ESU had two robberies and a fire recently. ESU #7 is
the homesite for Nebraska Future's Conference on October 8. A total of
16 downlink sites is available for the Conference. The <website is
www.megavision.com/future.
Sandra Riley: "The Public Image" of libraries
begins when people walk in the front door of the library, and we need to
remember this.
Richard Voeltz, Nursing Liaison & Chemistry
Library, University of Nebraska - Lincoln: The University is still into
the learning organization process. The card catalog is being
discontinued.
Several computer labs are being built,
one at East Campus in C. Y. Thompson Library and the other at Love
Library.
Sally Wise, Schmid Law Library: We are
working on stepping up our renovation and addition program at the Law
Library.
Susan Baird, Gering Public Library: Thank
you to the Library Commission for sponsoring the Share Fair in Ogallala.
The Panhandle Library System sponsored an Author Tour. The annual meeting
of the Panhandle Library System is October 10. A Bus Trip is being organized
for the Rocky Mountain Book Festival for November 2. Gering Public Library
is working with the junior high school, doing book talks and taking books
from the public library to the school to be checked out by students.
Jeanne Saathoff, Kearney Public Library:
A new children's librarian has joined the staff at Kearney Public Library,
Shawna Lindner. The Summer Reading Program had approximately 1,300 children
involved. In the Technology Learning Center we are training people to use
all the software programs: Windows 95, Excel, work processing, and providing
Internet training. Next month for the first time we are going to do Evaluating
Internet Resources for the public.
Libraries, the Internet,
Censorship
NLC Internet Policy Statement
(discussion)
Stan Gardner moved and Richard Voeltz seconded
the motion to adopt the Internet Policy Statement. Motion was approved
by acclamation.
Council Bylaws
Revisions
Phyllis Brunken moved and Sally Wise seconded
the motion to approve the Council Bylaws
Revisions.
Motion was approved by acclamation.
Meeting Wrap-Up and
Adjournment
Phyllis Brunken moved and Richard Voelz
seconded the motion to adjourn at 3:30 p.m. Motion was
approved by acclamation.
Respectfully submitted
Elaine
Miller